Today's Menu

7am-Water, lemon, stevia
11:00am-Green Juice:
1/2 cucumber
ginger
lemon
lime
3 handfuls of baby greens
celery stalks
stevia
2:00pm-Veggie "Soup":
The following were blended in a food processor and warmed slightly on the stove:
2 tomatoes
2 carrots
1 head of broccoli
cayenne pepper
celtic sea salt
1 clove of ginger
fresh dill
olive oil
water
3:00pm- Green Juice:
1/2 cucumber
ginger
lemon
lime
3 handfuls of baby greens
broccoli stems
stevia
9:00pm-Veggie "Soup":
The following were blended in a food processor and warmed slightly on the stove:
2 tomatoes
2 carrots
1 head of broccoli
cayenne pepper
celtic sea salt
1 clove of ginger
1 juiced lemon
olive oil
water

Lots of herbal tea and filtered water too!

I taught two yoga classes this evening. I felt clear headed, calm, and energetic. Its amazing how much easier it is to feel peaceful when your body is at peace. Its not so fun teaching yoga when you feel bloated and full. I'm very happy that I have integrated this practice into my weekly regimen. Time for my nightly meditation. I've been downloading different guided meditations onto my iPod. Tonight's selection: TBA:)

Groggy? No More!

If you've been reading this blog for more than a few weeks, you know that I was struggling with the morning blues. I had to peel myself out of bed in the morning (kicking and screaming in my head). Lately, I wake up naturally, around 7:00 or 7:30 am. Mostly, I credit my diet (and juice!). I've been faithful to juicing each morning, cutting out refined sugars and flour, and eating lots of greens. Plus, I've added a B12 vitamin. I have even resisted my late-night sugar cravings (which does get easier). These are not easy modifications, but necessary to my long-term health and happiness (inside and out).

There are a few wonderful resources that I attribute these changes:

Kris Carr and the Crazy Sexy Crew. The Crazy Sexy Life Forum is up and running and it will change your life if you open your heart and mind to it! Whether or not you are a cancer survivor, this is a place for anyone wanting to nourish their body, mind, spirit, and the planet. It is packed with priceless knowledge and positive people from all over the world!

YOGA! Traditional Hatha Yoga (Sivananda Lineage) guides my practice, but there are hundreds of styles to choose from:)

BOOKS! Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, T. Colin Campbell's The China Study, Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips...much more on my nightstand:), including Fast Food Nation.

BLOGS! Allie's Answers (helps me learn about how I can care for the planet and protect my family from harmful chemicals, etc.), We Like It Raw has taught me about raw food living, Radical Radiance has taught me about juicing, and Kris Carr's blog-need I say more about Kris?

VEGAN! I've cut out all meat and dairy from my diet and it feels great!

Also, dancing, journaling, and nice long baths have helped to reduce stress:) When you have a toolkit filled with these positive habits you are never alone or lost. Try adopting one new healthy habit a week and soon you'll see and feel the difference. The sky is the limit:)

What healthy habits have you incorporated into your life that have made a difference?

Rested

*Sigh of relief*
Well, I listened to my own advice yesterday by doing the following simple things:

• Juiced!
• Danced
  
• Yoga:)
• Meditation (ten minutes is better than zero!)
  
• Light and satisfying meals (smoothie, salads, quinoa, baked sweet potato, nuts)
• NO computer after 9pm
• Wound down for a half hour before turning out the lights (reading a novel in bed)

It all paid off. Eight wonderful, restful hours of sleep. I woke up naturally this morning and finished some writing projects before 9am! Plus, I didn't carry that negative energy with me to bed. Yes, there are dishes in the sink right now, but I feel great! It wasn't a problem fitting these things into my day even though I taught four yoga classes and worked for four hours.

This blog is a huge motivator. It keeps me on track and records my progress. I highly recommend starting a journal or a blog if you want to make healthy changes in your life or stay on track with the changes you've already made.

Juice Analysis, Organic Produce, and Inspiration

I've been a little worried about my juicing habits lately because my urge to juice was dwindling. Even this morning (after two days without juice) I was questioning whether I could keep this up. After doing a full yoga practice, it was back. I went downstairs and juiced away! The picture to the left is what I started with.

I was curious about which nutrients I was benefiting from in this juice, so here the analysis I came up with, using The Complete Book of Juicing by Michael T. Murray. I listed the key benefits of each vegetable, fruit, and root.
Celery:

• Potasium
• Sodium (electrolyte replacer)
• Coumarins (increases activity of certain white blood cells, tone vascular system, lower blood pressure)

Carrot:

• Highest vegetable source of provitamin A carotenes
  

Cucumber:

• Skin contains Silica (strengthens connective tissues, i.e. muscles, tendons, and ligaments)

Ginger:

• Excellent Carminative (promotes elimination of intestinal gases)
• Anti-inflammatory

Lemon:

• Rich in Vitamin C and Potassium
• Contains Limonine (promising anti-cancer properties)

Apple:

• Pectin (improves the intestinal muscle's ability to push waste through the gastrointestinal tract)
• Ellagic, chlorogenic, and caffeic acids (anutrients with significant anticancer properties)
  

And here is the result of those veggies and fruits plowing through my Breville juicer:

I am going crazy trying to figure out where to buy produce and which produce to buy. Until yesterday I thought that any produce bought at Whole Foods was organic. Not true! Anything marked "Conventional" is not organic. Bummer.

Also, I wonder about the integrity of companies like Nature's Promise. Nature's Promise is easy to find at the cheaper, chain grocery stores in Baltimore: Giant and Super Fresh, but how great are these fruits and vegetables really?

I am excited that Kris Carr has brought up the idea of a book club in her blog. I am interested in reading, Michael's Pollen's book, In the Defense of Food and it would be nice to share the experience with her community.

I am working on a fiction novel at the moment, but my interest in writing a creative non-fiction novel is increasing as I become more inspired by my pursuits in alternative health and wellness. Also, I feel inspired each day by information coming from blogs and books that I am drawn to make a contribution as well. Its like the idea is at the tip of my tongue, but it hasn't come to fruition yet. I am going to have faith that it will come in its own time and I just have to keep on this path. With that thought in mind, I should get back to other writing projects. Peace and love:)

Balance

I've been playing with my balance lately and discovered how easy it is to fall, especially when it comes to my diet. I fell off the deep end with half of a medium sized Papa John's Garden pizza (more cheese and white flour than I've consumed in months). I couldn't sleep- heart racing, cold sweats, scattered thoughts. I was miserable! I had a pizza hangover the next day. In college, half a pizza, a six pack of beer, and half a pack of smokes were a regular part of my diet and my body surrendered to this pattern. Now, my mind and body revolts!

Thank goodness I had my green juice to fall back on the next morning. Since experimenting with a juice fast, becoming vegetarian, and adopting other healthy habits (dry brushing, tongue scraping, neti potting), I am comfortable with giving my stomach a rest in the morning. I used to throw food in my mouth as soon as my feet hit the ground in the morning. Now, I'm ok with waiting until noon to eat if I don't feel ready, although I usually drink my juice around 10am.

I am also finding balance in my yoga practice. For a few months following my stay at the ashram, I was putting all of my energy into teaching and ignoring my personal practice. Over the past month, I have found new joy and confidence in my personal practice. I've also taken it up a notch and I am working my way toward the handstand. This is a pose that my mind tries to tell me that I cannot accomplish, but I am ignoring those thoughts and focusing on the handstand a few minutes each day. It was the same situation when I approached the headstand. My body simply did not have the strength at first, but everyday I tried to get a step further in the pose, until eventually it just happened. I feel as fulfilled by achieving this pose as I do about getting my Master's degree. It taught me that I can achieve things that my mind perceives as impossible and that is priceless.

Addiction

It doesn't matter how many vices I cut out of my life, I always find an addiction. Even if its something that is harmless, the addiction is the problem, not the focus of the addiction. Once you realize this, you discover that the obstacle is internal and cannot be overcome by eliminating one nasty habit after the next (although getting rid of unhealthy habits is a good thing!). As I peeled away the layers of vices, they became less and less detrimental to my health. Now that I'm staring at chocolate like its a bottle of Gin, I have to think to myself-where are these feelings coming from? How many more things can I take out of my life while I run away from the fact that these emotions and thought patterns are not a product of the outside world?

As my thoughts raced this evening, I took out a pad of paper and started writing. I promised myself that I would not stop writing until two pages were filled and that I would write anything that came to my mind. Although I felt somewhat crazy, it felt good. I wasn't turning on myself, I was unravelling myself and just being. My heart is racing as I type this, but that could be from the half a bar of dark chocolate I just ate.

I am just starting this journey. I have to remember this. Yoga, meditation, positive thinking, yogic philosophy, vegetarianism, juicing, chanting, all of this entered my life only 6 months ago. At least I've gotten this far. My mantras at the moment are: Surrender, play, and let go. I'm going to do those things right now. Most of the times I sit down to write here, I don't know what will occur, but usually I learn exactly what I need to do at that moment to be happy and free.

PS- One of the people who inspired me to make these changes is Kris Carr from Crazy, Sexy Cancer. A few days ago, I awoke to find that she had commented on one of my blog entries. I can't explain how motivating and uplifting it was to hear from her! If you haven't yet checked out her site or blog, do it now!

Ashram life for the weekend and Dry Brushing

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. Thats how I feel when I think about this past weekend at the Sivananda Yoga Ranch in Woodbourne, NY. I visited the ashram with one of my oldest and dearest friends. It was like we were kids again at summer camp. Lots of laughing, conscious living, peaceful silence, sharing wisdom, and positive thinking. The focus of the weekend was positive thinking and there was a wonderful workshop on Saturday afternoon on the subject. Here is a quote from Swami Sivananda's writing on positive thinking:

Lead a well-regulated life respecting the natural rhythms as much as possible.
Adapt, Adjust, Accomodate.
Live in the present.
Allow sudden changes to arise in your life.
Do not look for perfection in life. Perfection lies in stillness of one's own mind.
What really matters is not what happens but how we react to it.
Under stress most people loose their balance and their routine. We let things 'fall apart'.
Try to stick to your minimum routine.
Sit down and sort out any changes you could make to help you. Then make them NOW!
Do not waste your life speculating about others in ways that are not to your mutual advantage.
Purge your mind of all aimless and idle thoughts, especially those dealing with affairs of others or wishing them ill.
Become a staunch believer in self-reliance and self-effort.
You are affected by things only in accordance with your idea about them.
The minds sees value in that in which it has intense faith.

Each time I read this passage, I find something new and helpful. One of my biggest challenges at home is making time to meditate, which is one of the most integral parts of living a healthy life (in my opinion). We sat for meditation four times during the weekend and I realize how restless and cloudy my mind is at the moment. I promise to meditate at least 30 minutes a day, even if it is 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night. I want to find my quiet mind.

The hatha yoga was fantastic! I hadn't taken a class since teacher training and it was so relaxing and satisfying to be on the mat. I would like to begin taking at least one a yoga class a week in Baltimore in addition to my home practice. It was also wonderful taking a class in the temple, which is an octagon-shaped room with floor to ceiling windows. I felt surrounded by warmth and peace.

Satsang is also a wonderful part of the ashram schedule. We attended four Satsangs during the weekend. Swami-ji spoke about positive thinking after chanting and meditation. We also went on a walk through the ashram property on Saturday morning. It was a silent meditation walk and we traipsed through the woods over the crunchy snow to the Shiva and Ganesha shrines. The fresh air was cleansing and invigorating.

All of the meals are vegetarian and it was wonderful catching up with friends from TTC and newcomers to the ashram over brunch and dinner each day. It was simply a fantastic weekend and I highly recommend making a visit to any of the Sivananda Ashrams, even if you have never practiced yoga. The majority of guest were completely new to ashram life and yoga as a whole. I am working hard to carry the principles of yoga into daily life. I'm sure I'll be back at the ashram for another refresher as soon as possible!

I also picked up a natural bristle body brush at the ashram. I used it before showering last night and this morning. Kris Carr introduced me to this great detox tool in this blog entry. Check out this site for some helpful instructions. It feels great while you are doing it. I can't report on the long-term effect yet, but I'll keep you posted:)

11 Days until Sivananda Teacher Training

I'm not proud to say that I took a couple days off the TTC challenge, but I'm back on the mat tomorrow. I had my last Sivananda class at Baltimore Yoga Village on Thursday before the TTC because BYV is on vacation this week. I felt good about the practice and ready as I can be for the course. Actually, I can't wait to get up there. Simultaneously, I realize that I'll miss my freedom and the amenities of Baltimore, not to mention the people (especially my new husband). The newest challenge added to my practice is the peacock. I can raise my head, but not my legs. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Change in Plans...

Turns out that I will be leaving for Woodbourne, NY in 16 days for TTC. I called the Sivananda Yoga Ranch yesterday and they had an opening, so I took the plunge and enrolled in their September training. It is a wonderful feeling to know that I am so close to living at the ashram for a month and experiencing the challenge of TTC.

The next two weeks will be filled with PRACTICE, READ, and more PRACTICE! I found some beautiful pictures of the Yoga Ranch on flickr.com. If you're interested, click here. I hope to update the blog a few times while I'm there, but if not, I'll have lots to share in October!

Sivananda TTC You Tube Video

Vacation is over and unfortunately I was sick and unable to attend Kripalu. Luckily, they offer a credit, so I'll have the chance to attend in the future. I found this You Tube video documentary of a Sivananda TTC program in India. In case you are interested in a glimpse of life in an ashram, check it out. I am interested to hear your thoughts!

I've been posting a lot of blogs at www.about-baltimoremd.com and I hope you'll check them out too!

Namaste

Yoga, Ashrams, and a Used Book Store

Sunday was filled with discoveries. Around 11 I walked up to the Avenue to stop at breathe books and Inspired Serenity. breathe didn't open until 12, so I visited Sherry and replenished my supply of Lemon Chiffon Rooibos tea leaves (it makes wonderful iced tea!). I was happy to have the chance to talk more with Sherry about Yasodhara Ashram Yoga Study & Retreat Centre in British Columbia. It sounds like a dream. There is even a Karma Yoga class that invites young adults to live and participate in meditation and yoga for free, in exchange for working at the ashram. Now I have to figure out how to fit it in...

Learning about this opportunity led me to look for centers like Yosadhara closer to Baltimore. I stumbled upon Yogaville. The Yogaville Welcome Weekend Program sounds like the perfect opportunity to get a taste of life at an Ashram. After researching Yogaville, I found somewhere even closer to home called Yoga Village. Although it is not an Ashram, Yoga Village has a lot to offer and is only a mile from my house and my office. I am meeting with one of the owners tomorrow after work to discuss the possibility of a work exchange. Helping out and practicing yoga in a peaceful place filled with people who strive to live consciously sounds good to me.

Back to Sunday's adventures. After visiting Sherry, I stopped at breathe books to pick up a few CDs. Susan helped me select Guided Mindfulness Meditations by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Seven Metals: Singing Bowls of Tibet by Benjamin Iobst, and Deepak Choprah's new book Buddha: A Story of Enlightment. Choprah's book on CD should be perfect for the ride to Burlington for the Healing Touch Level 1 class next Friday. I've been listening to the Seven Metals CD multiple times each day since I bought it. It is soothing and helps me stay in a positive mind frame. I've listened to two of the four CDs in Iobst's Guided Mindfulness Meditations. Both CDs are very effective, but also challenging. I am working up to finishing an entire 45 minute meditation. The other two CDs are Yoga Instruction, but I haven't tried them yet.

On the subject of meditation, I heard about the Baltimore Shambala Center a few months ago and have been meaning to attend their open house on Thursday nights. I actually just looked up Shambala on Wikipedia and found out that it is a Sanskrit term meaning "place of peace/tranquility/happiness". Wikipedia also explains that "Sanskrit is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. It has the same status in Nepal as well.". Good to know. I guess there is an Ashram in Baltimore. Which leads me to one of the books I found at Salamander Books on The Avenue.

After lunch today at Soup's On, I ventured into the used bookstore across the street. I was pleasantly surprised to find a decent selection of books on homeopathy and spirituality. I picked up: Essential Oils: A Basic Guide by Julia Lawless, Aromatherapy by Vivan Lunny M.D., Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual In Everyday Life by Judith Lasater, Ph. D., P.T., and Shambhala:The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa. I've skimmed all of the books and I am most excited about starting Living Your Yoga.

Although I haven't even started practicing yoga on a regular basis, I was intrigued to learn about the yogic diet on Yoga Village's website. Yoga Village describes the diet as a "lacto-vegetarian diet, rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The yogi carefully discriminates between qualities of food items by using the categories of the three gunas: Sattva (clean/pure), Rajas (stimulating, disturbing, active), and Tamas (sluggish).". The Sivananda Yoga Website notes that: "One who seriously takes to the path of Yoga would avoid ingesting meats, fish, eggs, onions, garlic, coffee, tea (except herbal), alcohol and drugs.". The only two things that would be difficult for me to part with are chicken and coffee. I hope to learn more about this diet first-hand at the Yoga Village.

Thats all for now. I am brewing a huge pot of peppermint and green iced tea right now and looking forward to settling in with one of my books. I'll be back tomorrow to write about my experience at Yoga Village and whatever else I stumble upon on the way.